Zira HICHY
Zira Hichy is Full Professor of Social Psychology at the Department of Educational Sciences of the University of Catania. She earned her degree in Work and Organizational Psychology at the University of Padua, where she also obtained a PhD in Social and Personality Psychology. She developed her academic career at the University of Catania, serving as Researcher, Associate Professor, and, since 2023, Full Professor. Her research focuses on processes of discrimination and prejudice, prejudice reduction in intergroup relations, acculturation processes, values, state secularism, attitudes toward sexual minorities, and theoretical models of behavioral intentions. She is the author of numerous publications in national and international scientific journals and regularly participates at scientific conferences in Italy and abroad. She is also deeply involved in teaching in psychology degree programs, promoting a social psychology attentive to contemporary social dynamics.
- 2000: Laurea degree in Psychology, specializing in Work and Organizational (mark 110/110), University of Padova (Italy).
- 2002: Qualification as Psychologist (occupational qualification), University of Padova (Italy).
- 2005: Ph.D. in Personality and Social Psychology, University of Padova (Italy).
- From 2005 to 2017: Assistant professor of Social Psychology at the Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania.
- From 2018 to 2023: Associate Professor of Social Psychology at the Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania.
- From 2023: Full Professor of Social Psychology at the Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania.
Last update, 12/12/2025
- Determinants of discrimination and prejudice. Influence of personality and psychosocial variables on discrimination and favoritism for the ingroup.
- Theoretical models of behavioral intentions. Heuristic power of different models of intentions, in the field of health and consumer psychology. The models or theories investigated are: theory of reasoned action, theory of planned behavior and model of goal-directed behavior.
- Reduction of prejudice. Validity of models derived from the contact hypothesis. The models analyzed are: the model of mutual intergroup differentiation, of the decategorization model, the common identity model and of dual identity model.
- Acculturation processes. Acculturation orientation of Italian community in the interaction with immigrants and their determinants.
- Methodological problems of psychosocial research. Detailed study of methods to verify hypothesis of mediation and moderation, measurement of social representations, validation of Italian versions of various measurement scales.
- Values. Influence of values in various areas, such as immigration and politics.
- Secularism of the state. Determinants and consequences of the desire to have a secular state.